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Courtenay
Courtenay is located 57 km (35 miles) north of Qualicum
Beach and 40 km (25 miles) south of Campbell
River off Hwy 19. Courtenay is situated on the east coast of
Vancouver Island and borders the communities of Comox
and Cumberland with all three included
in the Comox Valley Regional District.
5th
Street
The most activity in Courtenay where the businesses and services
are located is called 5th Street. This is the older section of Courtenay,
where you can find most coffee shops, banks, small stores with people
walking and talking with each other all within walking distance.
Puntledge
and Tsolum Rivers
Courtenay is beautifully located just downstream from where the
Puntledge and Tsolum Rivers both meet to form the slow-moving Courtenay
River. The Puntledge River is dammed farther upstream high above
the community and supplies power to the BC Hydro electrical grid
plus proving a wilderness area at Nymph
Falls Nature Park. The Tsolum is a major salmon-producing river
with the Tsolum Hatchery situated upstream on Headquarters Creek.
Courtenay
District Museum & Paleontology Centre
When visiting Courtenay, try and get a chance to visit the Courtenay
District Museum & Paleontology Centre located downtown. The
centre, which is housed in a very historic Courtenay building, features
local historical artifacts with emphasis on local First Nations
and the relationship between Europeans in the Comox Valley.
Courtenay
Riverway
The Courtenay Riverway is a 3.5 km (2.2 miles) multi-use paved trail
containing various wooden boardwalk and bridges that span a large
area full of vast wildlife. Starting at Marina Park near the Info
Centre, the Courtenay Riverway takes you along the remarkable Courtenay
River Estuary to Comox Bay. For birdwatching, the estuary is a wintering
site for endangered trumpeter swans and other migratory birds.
Sid
Williams Theatre
For ongoing entertainment, you'll have to book a visit to the Sid
Williams Theatre to see a live show performed in this beautiful
venue. Located near the Courtenay River Bridge on 5th Street, the
theatre is conveniently situated across from Lewis Park and very
close to the shops in downtown Courtenay.
Mount
Washington Alpine Resort
Courtenay is home to Vancouver Island's most popular ski and snowboard
resort called Mount Washington Alpine Resort. Consistently having
some of British Columbia's highest snow-pack levels, Mount Washington
has numerous chairlifts and a large area of cross-country skiing
plus a local village and store containing mountain-top accommodation
and entertainment.
Strathcona
Provincial Park
In the summer, Mount Washington Alpine Resort serves as a staging
ground for hiking into nearby Strathcona Provincial Park, the oldest
provincial park in British Columbia. Forbidden Plateau, a large
mountain that overlooks Courtenay, is in Strathcona Provincial Park
and can easily be reached by hiking in from the Paradise Meadows
Trailhead which starts near the Raven Lodge part of the Mount Washington
Alpine Resort.
Crown
Isle Resort & Community Golf
Courtenay has a number of golf courses in the nearby vicinity. One
favourite you'll enjoy is situated at Crown Isle Resort & Community
Golf. Crown Isle, rated in the top-end category with world-class
hospitality, is situated in the Comox Valley and contains stunning
views of the Comox Glacier and the Beaufort Mountain Range.
Kitty
Coleman Woodland Gardens
To view a serene garden featuring over 3000 varieties of rhododendrons
- Western Canada's largest collection - you have to come to the
Kitty Coleman Woodland Gardens. The facility is located in the Comox
Valley Regional District just north-west of the Courtenay border
with Comox. This woodland garden displays many natural and resident
plants of the Comox Valley and features the Art& Bloom Festival
taking place annually on the May long weekend.
Kingfisher
Oceanside Resort & Spa
For those who love to pamper themselves, there is no better spa
to do it in than the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort & Spa. Full
of proven spa techniques, the Kingfisher takes you through various
stages of relaxation therapies featuring the patented Pacific Mist
Hydropath. The Kingfisher is set in a beautiful building style in
a very traditional West Coast setting.
Atlas
Café
Courtenay has a number of good restaurants, coffee shops and cafés
available. One favourite is the Atlas Café located at 250
6th Street. At the Atlas, you can find a reasonably priced meal
with a serving of generous proportions. Also included in good eateries
are the Union Street Grill, Billy D's Public House and the Old House.
There are also a number of good coffee shops including Starbucks.
Comox
Valley Exhibition Grounds
Courtenay has a number of events throughout the year including -
The Vancouver Island Music Festival and Comox Valley Fall Fair,
both taking place at the Comox Valley Exhibition Grounds.
Festivals
For a celebration of food, music, fun, arts and crafts you have
to visit nearby Comox and the Filberg Festival which occurs annually
on the BC Day long-weekend in August. For whitewater rafters, there
is also the Puntledge River Paddle Festival.
Puntledge
RV Campground
Situated near the Puntledge River on Condensory Road, and located
within a 5-minute walking distance to downtown Courtenay, is the
Puntledge RV Campground. The full-service RV campground is operated
by the Gila'kasla First Nations and features the Nim Nim Interpretive
Centre with a First Nation gift shop. The Puntledge RV campground
is close to a good swimming hole found at the nearby bridge and
connects up with trails that lead downstream towards the meeting
of the Tsolum River.
Information
on Courtenay: Includes;
Travel, Recreation, Accommodation, Places to Eat and First Nations
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